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Doctor insights on:
Litchi Allergy In Children

1

Fruit Allergy:
Allergy to any food, in this case Litchi will cause symptoms of oral itching, lip or tongue swelling, hives, breathing difficulty and/or throat closure etc. Food allergy is diagnosed with clinical history followed by skin or blood test and that information helps establish the diagnosis and severity of the allergy.
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Allergy to any food, in this case Litchi will cause symptoms of oral itching, lip or tongue swelling, hives, breathing difficulty and/or throat closure etc. Food allergy is diagnosed with clinical history followed by skin or blood test and that information helps establish the diagnosis and severity of the allergy.
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2

Not Likely:
Given your description is doesn't sound like a typical allergic reaction which usually includes one or more of the following within minutes to 2 hours of ingestion: hives, itching, swelling, shortness of breath, wheeze, vomiting, or passing out. Sometimes drinking cold beverages can cause a coughing fit in some people. See an Allergist for further workup and evaluation if concerned.
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5

Lychee:
The seeds contain saponins which are somewhat poisonous, but the fruit itself is great to eat. Ironically, while rumors like this circulate online, the cancer charlatans actively promote graviola, a fruit that causes serious illness and death on the islands where it grows.
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8

Exposure + Genes:
One needs both a genetic component and "exposure" to a said allergen to develop an allergy. There is a growing support over the past 20 years, that growing up in an environment which is "too clean" can also lead to development of allergies down the road. Either way, allergies are on the rise.
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10

Nut allergy:
Maybe. Your children may have inherited genes from you that make them more likely to develop an allergy, but they do not inherit a specific allergy to a food e.g. Nuts. The children have to be exposed to food proteins in the diet, before an allergy can develop. Once one develops an allergy then they are always allergic and need proper medical attention to prevent severe problems.
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11

Allergy tests:
There are several types of testing. Some involve certain types of blood tests. Another method is to do a series of skin tests done by pricking the skin and applying different allergens. Other tests are provocative tests that can involve challanging the patient with allergic materials. Testing should be done by doctors specializing in allergy to obtain the best results.
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14

Delayed reaction:
Symptoms do not appear for hours or even days. Poison ivy and similar plants cause some of the best-known delayed hypersensitivity reactions. When a person first touches the plant, no reaction occurs for the first 24 to 48 hours.

15

Several choices:
For anaphylaxis, self injectable Epinephrine is recommended. Antihistamines available include: Allegra suspension down to 2 years old, Clarinex syrup down to 6 months old, Claritin syrup down to 2 years old, xyzal (levocetirizine) syrup down to 6 months old, zyrtec syrup down to 2 years old; palgic syrup down to 1 year old. Also, singulair is approved down to 6 months old. For severe allergies, see allergist!
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17

Probably not:
There is no good evidence that withholding peanuts from a child's diet reduces their risk of developing peanut allergy. In fact, there is some evidence that introducing them early on may give a greater likelihood of tolerance.
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18

Not at all:
It is a common misconception that eating local honey helps allergies. Local honey contains pollen from local flowers. People generally have little exposure to and aren't allergic to flower pollen (except florists). Wind pollinated trees, grasses and weeds which release huge amounts of pollen cause most allergies. Eating pollen has no effect on allergies though holding pollen under the tongue may.
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20

Not exactly:
The ability to react to certain proteins in an allergic way is passed on from parents to their children, but a specific allergy is not. So if a mom is allergic to pollen and the dad is allergic to fire ants, their child may develop allergies but it may be to a food instead. If 1 parent has allergies, the child is 50% likely to develop allergies, but it's a 75% chance if both parents are allergic.
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21

Yes:
Not all of the food allergies are created equal. Food allergies like dairy, egg, wheat tend to be outgrown. Tree nut and peanut are less likely (although recent studies suggest that 20-30% outgrow the peanut allergy). Environmental allergies tend to "grow on you" with time. Note: the allergy test may remain positive despite the child having outgrown the allergy. Consult with an allergist.
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23

It depends:
It really depends on the age of the child, and whether you're talking about food or environmental allergies. I generally will skin test children over age 2 for environmental allergies, while many younger kids need food testing. In terms of frequency, children with environmental allergies may benefit from repeat testing after 2 years, as their allergies can change as they get older.
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24

Hygiene hypothesis:
The immune system has two opposing arms, one makes protective antibodies against bacteria and viruses, the other makes allergic antibody. One theory is that early antibiotic use disrupts the gut flora which tips the scale away from fighting infection and more toward making allergic antibodies. Clean environments might be at fault as well, farm kids don't get allergies as much as city kids.
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25

Skin testing:
The easiest way to determine whether or not a child is allergic to certain foods is skin testing. Blood testing might also be considered. The gold standard (best) test for food allergy is an oral food challenge (should be done under supervision of a qualified allergist).
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26

Sometimes:
Some people's allergies get better over years, some get worse, and some are stable. Keeping allergies well-controlled not only keeps kids feeling better and sleeping better, but also doing better in school (it's hard to learn material when you feel miserable)! also, keeping allergies under control decreases the risk of ear infections and sinusitis.
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27

Sometimes:
But not all the time. Nasal allergies are not a frequent cause of a really bad persistent cough. In a child with allergies and a really bad cough (assuming no fever) I would be concerned about a reactive airway/asthma type condition. If the child also had eczema I would be even more concerned.
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28

Skin or Blood:
Depending on the clinical history and suspected allergen, some practitioners choose the less painful and timely method, which is a blood test looking for specific ige antibodies, also called rast testing. Percutaneous skin tests are still the gold standard for allergy testing. This is something which you should discuss with your physician.
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29

Breastfeed!:
Breastfeeding is shown to be protective for children with a strong family history of allergies. If unable to breast feed, try a hypoallergenic formula such as "nutramigen" or "alimentum". Try to avoid introducing baby foods until 4-6 months of age; once you do, introduce them slowly. Interestingly, exposure to dogs & cats appears to reduce the risk of becoming allergic to those household pets!
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Allergies occur when your immune system is triggered by envirionmental factors it should ignore--for example, pollen in the air, or dander on a cat or dog--and creates cells to fight against them. An allergic reaction typically causes itching, congestion, or drainage, and can be very serious.
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